Dah!!! I know it's been like eighteen years since I last updated!!! Please, please forgive me! I made this chapter I little longer than usual for you guys, and this is a real turning point in the story. Please enjoy and review!!!!!!!

Chapter Fourteen: Disguise

I stayed at the castle for two weeks. During which I had kept myself exceedingly busy. I would not sleep. Instead I went to all of the castles large libraries, and read nearly every book in them. In the mornings, I went for a quiet stroll around the castle, memorizing every part of it's grander. During the afternoons Brian and I usually spent time together. We had really become best friends, and I was starting to rely on him; which I was not sure was a good thing or a bad thing. He was such a gentlemen, like…Edward. He was born around the mid eighteen hundreds, so he was a good fifty years older than him. He never pressed me for explanations for my strange behavior. Never complained about my sometimes-depressing mood. He was always there for me. Sometimes, we would simply sit down together, with a cup of hot chocolate, and he would listen to me.

Our favorite thing to do was ride on the beautiful trails around the castle. There's something about riding a horse that makes everything about nature seem more beautiful. The golden amber leaves swaying in the wind, the crisp scent of fresh water and flowers, the herby smell of basil was somewhere in the air, adding to the bouquet of aromas... It certainly succeeded in diverting me.

It had appeared to everyone else that I was healing, that I was slowly starting to get over Edward. Oh, how I wish that were true… The truth was that I was just getting better at hiding my despair. I've had so many, too many, years of practice in the art of deception and hiding my truth feelings was my specialty. The numbness and the longing were always there. However, I learned that I could push them off to the side. Keep a smile on my face and a sweet softness in my voice but on the inside I was being crushed. I needed Edward. I needed him like a bird needs the sky, like a horse need to run. Without him I was miserable. I couldn't function; I couldn't find any meaning in life anymore. I really needed him; which is what scared me the most.

EPOV

My heart was being crushed with every step she took away from me. I found myself paralyzed from the shock, from the pain… I stood very, very still becoming a statue of grief. I did not move until I couldn't hear her sobs or her footprints anymore. I couldn't think, my mind was only able to grasp that she was gone…

Idiot! Why did you have to kiss her? Did you honestly think that a simple change in hair color and some contacts could fool her? Stupid, stupid, stupid! You've ruined everything. You've hurt Bella for the thousandth time. Don't you think that it's time to just give up? She doesn't want you, not anymore. You've hurt her beyond repair. You're lucky if she would even talk to you. I told myself as I let my head hang down.

Oh Edward… Alice's thoughts came into my head with sympathy and despair.

"Alice…please," I whispered slowly, afraid that I would shatter if I made any sound.

"Go after her, explain."

"I think I've done enough damage Alice, I'm not going to hurt her again…"

"But can't you see that she's hurting without you? She has nightmares Edward, about you."

"As well she should, I'm an complete monster…"

"Her dreams are not about that Edward. She still loves you; she says it every night. She needs you Edward, as much as you need her. Maybe even more..."

"Alice, just stop. It's over. I've lost, she doesn't want me and she never will, not anymore…And I know for certain that she doesn't love me. She can't. No one can have that good of a heart as to forgive their murderer and still love them."

"But Bella does! Edward, I've been hiding my visions from you but she really does love you and she's really hurt right not. You have to go after her, and hurry; I can see her planning to run away. Go!

And apparently I had lost my mind because I was suddenly running. I took the annoying contact lenses out of my eyes so that I could see better. It's not like I needed them anymore anyways. I followed her scent towards the palace, the Volturi palace. Yes, I had definitely lost my mind. I had to find her, I had to talk to her and apologize. I had to make things right.

I barged through the front doors, so clearly I was suicidal too, and ran up the stars in the direction of her room. However, when I opened the door, to my horror, I found the Volturi family waiting for me.

Their heads all turned from a letter and snapped up to look at me. Confusion first hitting them before realization.

"YOU!" Jane screeched, looking outraged, storming towards me. "You did this! You took her away from us! " She screamed.

"What? Where's Bella, I need to talk to her."

"Well too bad cause she's gone. As soon as your face showed up she ran for the hills," Jane spat. "I don't blame her. How dare you show your face here after all that you've done to her? Are you here just to be distracted again? Are you really that much of an ass that you could care less about Bella's feelings? Oh, you are gonna pay Ed-,"

"Jane! That is enough," Aro's voice boomed. "Bella wouldn't want this."

That seemed to send Jane back into the shadows as she scowled at me and started cursing in her head.

"Watch your language young lady…" Aro cautioned before turning back to me.

"Why are you here Edward," he asked very slowly and calmly.

"Bella," I breathed. "I kissed her and she…she ran away, really upset. I came here to apologize to her and to explain myself. To tell her that leaving her was the biggest mistake of my life and how I've never stopped loving her and-."

"Wait, hold up. Why don't you explain your story from the beginning," Aro interrupted.

And so I did.

"…So I had to come back. I knew that she would freak if she knew who I was so I disguised myself. I came back to Italy this time to attempt to make her fall in love with me again then tell her who I really was if I succeeded. However, I blew it tonight. I couldn't help myself and I kissed her. She instantly recognized me and ran away, so I followed after her, unfortunately I was too late…" I hung my head.

"That's quite an interesting story Edward. I can tell that you still love her. If only she knew that… However, I know for a fact that she still loves you," Aro told me.

"How?" I asked. How could she possibly love a monster?

"Here, read this," he said, handing me a note.

Dear family,

I'm so sorry. I can't stay here. He'sfound me and I have to leave. Please don't follow me. I don't know when or if I'll be back. I need to get away from him, and put myself back together again before he breaks me into even tinier pieces than I already am. Please, don't hurt him. I wouldn't want anything to happen to him. Ever. That means you Felix and Demetri, and Jane. I'm sure that I will always love him and will never be able to live if he did not exist. I thank you from the bottom of my broken heart for putting up with me all these years and for helping me through some of my darkest days. I'm afraid I'm going to have to fix this myself though. Again, thank you so, so much for all that you have done for me and I don't know how I could ever repay you. You truly are my family and I sincerely hope to see you all again.

Love,

Bells

I couldn't believe it. The words swirled around my head. Most were hurtful, 'He'sfound me and I have to leave…. I need to get away from him, and put myself back together again before he breaks me into even tinier pieces than I already am.' Those words cut through my heart, confirming how much I had hurt her. However, one sentence nearly made me collapse. ' I'm sure that I will always love him and will never be able to live if he did not exist.' She. Loved. Me. She…loved…me! Or at least she still loved me. She couldn't live without me! Oh, my Bella… She still loved me even though I hurt her so much.

"That little note there is the only thing that's keeping you alive, Eddie," Jane sneered, glaring at me. I ignored her. I could think of anything else except for the fact that Bella loved me.

"Go Edward. Go after her and get our Bella back," Aro commanded.

I nodded, folded the note in my pocket, and took off to the woods.

BPOV

"Miss Volturi, you have a letter," One of the maids announced. I sat up from my bed as she walked over with a silver platter. A letter sat in the middle; the paper was dipped in tea, which gave it its antique look. It must be from the Volturi's, I thought to myself.

Bella

Spelt the beautiful and unmistakable calligraphy.

"Thank you…" I replied dazed, as I hesitantly took the letter off the platter. I waited until she left the room until I opened it, my dead heart was pounding in my chest.

My dearest Bella,

Words cannot describe how idiotic I have been. It seems that I can't do anything right.

Unfortunately, I do not have the time, or the parchment, to express my apologies to you so I will make this brief.

Meet me. Please. This is all I ask of you. I just need to talk to you. I want to tell you in person how truly sorry for everything that I have done to hurt you. Please, meet me at Green Park tomorrow at 4 o'clock. I will leave you alone after that. If you don't come, then I will take no offense. I would deserve it. I will never bother you again after tomorrow, regardless of if you come or not. Just please know this Bella. I love you, and I will continue to love you until the ends of forever.

Love Always,

Edward

My entire body was trembling as I read the letter. He wanted to meet me. Tomorrow. As in the day after today. I couldn't think, I couldn't breathe, I couldn't even manage anything besides stare at the letter unbelievingly. He wanted to talk to me. Oh god, what do I do?

Go.

No, I couldn't. I couldn't bear it. I couldn't even look at his handwriting without breaking down! Oh god Bella shut up! Stop being so afraid and just go. He's leaving after tomorrow. It's your last chance. Now or Never. What's it going to be?

I sighed, and closed my eyes. This was our last chance. My future, and Edward's was in my own hands now. And this time, I was going to make sure that we got our Happily Ever After.

1 Day Later

LPOV

I was so excited I could barely stand still. Today was the day. Today was the day that all of our lives would change. Forever. I had perfected my ability in taking away others vampire's powers, and now was the moment of truth.

BPOV

I was walking in a dazed state, towards Green Park, which was right by the palace. I was numb. Completely numb with fear. I was so incredibly nervous. I just wanted things to be normal again. I wanted him; I wanted 'us' again. I wanted my happily ever after that I had lost so long ago…only, I didn't know how to get it back.

I was so distracted with my own thoughts, that I did not sense the figure, looming above me in one of the trees. However, when I did notice it, it was too late.

EPOV

I was freaking out. Bella would be here any minute…if she even came at all. This was my last chance to beg for her forgiveness. It was obvious that she didn't want me in her life, so I decided it was best to leave it forever after this day.

I was pacing back and forth by one of the trees, leaving a ditch in the ground from pacing so fast. I didn't know where to start. I didn't know what to say. I didn't even know what to do, when she got here. All I knew is that I had to make things better.

BPOV

"Hello there Bella," sneered Liz who was standing right in front of me.

"Liz. What do you want? Another beating?"

She snarled at me.

"Actually, if my memory serves me correctly, you were the one to run away last time," she said in a sickly sweet, menacing voice.

I growled back in response, I was starting to fume.

"Oh and actually, now that you mentioned it there was something I wanted…"

"And what would that be? A life maybe? Or a new face…" I sassed.

She chuckled a dark laugh and glared.

"No. Something far more valuable."

That's when I felt it. I started to feel weak, like something was draining me. Liz was staring at me with a look of pure contentment in her face. She was draining my power. Why do I feel so weak? This didn't happen last time. I realized then how much danger I was in. I started to black out. The last word that escaped from my lips was:

"Edward…"

LPOV

Yes! I had done it! I looked down at myself. I was Bella. I had managed to take her power, and turn myself into her. I could even block other vampire's mental powers, just like her. I could retain her power for as long as I wanted. However, I could only have one power at a time. I hoped that I wouldn't get too bored with hers.

I called Brian.

"It's done, Bella is by the Old Oak Tree. I'll lay her on the bench so that it looks like she's sleeping. She won't be out for long though. We need to hurry."

I snapped my cell phone shut and ran to find Edward.

EPOV

"Edward? Sorry I'm late."

Bella!

I whirled around to face my love. She was as beautiful as always.

"Bella…" I sighed, walking over to her, slowly, afraid that she might run away.

"Bella. I don't know how to start. I've been a complete ass. I can hardly even live with myself anymore for all the pain I have caused you. Words cannot even describe how sorry I am. Or what a heartless, soulless monster I am. I just-,"

"Edward, listen to me," she said in a soft voice. Her eyes showed nothing but love and I got momentarily lost in them. She put her hand on my shoulder, and then on my cheek. Her fingers left trails of fire wherever they touched.

"I don't blame you for anything. In fact, I should even be the one to apologize. I was a coward. I was afraid to get hurt again, so I pushed you away. But now, I know what I want more than anything else in the world," she whispered, her hand still on my cheek.

"What would that be, love?"

"Us," she whispered, and crashed her lips against mine.

It took me a moment to respond because of the absolute shock that ran through my body. Thoughts were rushing through my head. Bella was here. Bella didn't blame me. Bella actually thought that this was all her fault. It was so typical of her. And Bella was here! Kissing me! I was elated to say the least. However…something felt…off. The kiss felt…different. But I pushed it into the back of my head, and reminded myself that this was Bella, and I kissed her back with all the love I could manage into a kiss.

My Bella was back.

(Meanwhile…)

I fluttered my eyes open, and found that I was lying on a bench, in Green Park. How did I get here? That was when I remembered. Liz!

I shot up, my head whirling as I did. What happened to me?

"Easy there," a familiar voice came from behind me. I whirled around again, causing my head to spin as I did.

Brian was standing behind me, leaning on the bench as he looked at me with concern.

"What…what happened?" I croaked. I had never felt so weak.

"I don't know. I heard that you had gone out for a walk, so I thought that I would go and join you, but then I found you on the ground. I couldn't take you to the hospital for obvious reasons, so I just stayed here with you. I was kind of hoping that you could fill me in on what happened," he explained.

"What time is it?" Edward…

"It's…4:15."

"Oh my god. Brian I have to go! I'll see you later, thank you for staying with me!" I flashed him a huge smile, and ran to find Edward. I hope I'm not too late.

What I saw then stopped me in my tracks. Edward was still there…and he was with Liz…and they were kissing.

Read the author note at the bottom if you're confused.

I know it's a little confusing. What happened was it was really Liz who Edward was kissing but she was disguised as Bella. And then when Liz sensed that Bella was near, she turned herself back to make it look like Edward was kissing Liz. Get it now? Poor Bella. I felt so bad for her when I was writing this. Please, please, please review!